Detachable key



April 25, 1967 P. G. BILLINGS, JR 3,315,504

DETAGHABLE KEY Filed Aug. 7, 1964 HII II II BY /Q%M ATTORNEY UnitedStates Patent 3,315,504 DETACHABLE KEY Percy G. Billings, Jr., 1103Pekay St., Vienna, Va. 22180 Filed Aug. 7, 1964, Ser. No. 388,225 4Claims. (Cl. 70-408) The present invention relates to improvements inkeys for operating tumbler and other locks, and more particularly to akey which can be readily and easily attached to and removed from a keyring or case of the type designed for personal pocket use.

One object is to provide a key having a handle portion connected to theshank portion in which the handle is provided with an irregular slotproviding a restricted passageway for the key ring or other holderextending to the conventional central opening in the handle, whereby thekey may be removed by sliding the ring through the slot and cansimilarly be assembled on the ring or holder.

Another object is to provide a key which can be quickly and easilydetached from key rings and cases of conventional types withoutdisturbing the remaining keys.

Another object is to provide a key having a handle provided with acentral opening and a passageway extending therefrom to the edge of thekey which is of irregular shape and which is provided with a series ofsharp corner portions to prevent accidental removal of the key from thering or case, but yet would permit easy and quick displacement when itis desired to remove a selected key from the ring or case.

Another object is to provide a key for tumbler locks and the like inwhich the handle portion is provided with an opening having an entranceslot of sinuous or zig-zag design, thus providing an irregular pathwayfor retarding accidental displacement of the key and preventingdetachment of the same from the ring or case, but providing a quickdetachable connection to enable the key to be quickly attached to thering after it has been removed.

Another object is to provide a key for tumbler locks and the like inwhich the handle portion is provided with an opening and the key ring isprovided with a reduced portion adapted to he slipped into said openingthrough a restricted entrance slot thereto.

Another object is to provide a key for tumbler locks and the like inwhich the handle portion is provided with a key ring receiving openingfor receiving a key ring having a reduced portion, and to provide anentrance slot of irregular shape to said opening for the passage of saidreduced key ring portion, the entrance slot being of substantially thesame size as the entrance slot so that the key can be easily attached toand removed from the ring when the reduced diametral portion of the keyring is brought into registry with the slot.

Another object is to provide a key for tumbler locks and the like havinga handle provided with a central key ring receiving opening and anentrance slot from the edge of the handle to the opening having a seriesof round openings connected by straight line slots to present a seriesof sharp corner edges to the key ring when the same is inserted throughthe slot to the central opening and when the key is removed from thering and disengaged therefrom.

Hitherto, various types of quick release key rings and key cases areconstructed such that removal of one or more keys from the ring or casepresents an awkward and tedious operation. Certain structures aredesigned such that only a single key can be easily detached, whileothers are subject to wear at the points of connection which frequentlyresults in loss of the key or keys. Other types of key rings require theremoval of several keys before the desired one can be detached.

Patented Apr. 25, 1967 ice The above objections and disadvantages havebeen overcome by constructing a key in which the handle portion isprovided with a restricted entrance slot leading to the edge of thehandle or periphery thereof in such a manner that the detachableconnecting feature is contained in the key instead of the key ring. Byforming the restricted entrance slot to extend from the key ringreceiving opening in a direction substantially lateral with respect tothe shank, the key will be retained on the ring during normal use andwill be prevented from displacement therefrom. Additionally, any wearresulting from extended use by attaching and removing the key to thering can be compensated by merely tapping the corner portions of theentrance slot with a hammer, or other tool.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description taken with theaccompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a detachable key and ringembodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an edge elevational view of the detachable key and ringillustrating the reduced portion of the key ring to facilitate easyremoval of the key from the ring.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the inventionin which the key handle is provided with a diflierently shaped entranceslot for the key ring of the type employed in conventional key cases,and

FIGURE 4 is an edge elevational view of the modified form of theinvention.

In the drawing, and more in detail, attention is first directed toFIGURES 1 and 2 wherein there is shown a key generally designated 5 ofthe type used for various tumbler lock structures employed for doors,vehicles and various other locking structures. The key 5 is providedwith a shank portion 6 having the usual entrance grooves 7 and tumbleractuating projections 8 forming the usual pin notches 9. The shank 6 isprovided with an actuating handle 10 of disc-like configuration. Thehandle 10 can assume any one of a number of different shapes such asovate, triangular and rectangular and is only illustrated generally,since various lock companies employ key handles of different shapes forthe purpose of identity and recognition.

The handle portion 10 is provided with a key ring -receiving opening 11which, as illustrated, is of crescent shape to provide a curved portion12 connected by a straight edge portion 13. The opening 11 could beformed centrally of the handle 10 and certain keys are provided with acentral round key ring receiving opening. As shown in FIGURE 1, anirregular entrance slot 14 extends from a lateral edge of the handle 10in the direction of the center of the handle and the major portion ofsaid irregular slot is of zig-zag or sinuous shape. The entrance slot 14terminates at its end in an angular portion 16 which connects the slot14 to the key ring receiving opening 11 and extends upwardly thereto ata point slightly offset from a longitudinal median line extendingthrough the key. Similarly, an oblique entrance portion 17 connects therestricted slot 14 to the outer or peripheral edge of the handle 10, andsaid entrance portion 17 extends obliquely with respect to the axis ofthe shank 6 at an acute angle thereto. Thus, there is provided a seriesof staggered and oppositely arranged projections 18 which preventaccidental removal of the key from the ring 20.

The key ring 20 is shown in FIGURE 2 as being of triangular shape, butobviously can be circular or formed in various other patterns. The keyring 20 is provided with a slot receiving portion 21 having a slightlyreduced diameter as compared to the diameter of the ring 20. The reducedportion 21 is of a size which is equal or slightly less than thedimensions of the slot 14 so that the reduced portion 21 willfrictionally slide through the ing pin tumbler recesses 9a.

' zig-Zag slot and finally be received in the opening 11.

' nodes which frictionally and yieldingly engage the key ring when thekey is assembled and attached with respect to the ring. key rings ofconventional design by constructing the slot 14 of a width substantiallyequal to or slightly less than the transverse diameter of the ring.

' In the modified form of the invention shown in FIG- URES 3 and 4 thekey is generally designated 5a and includes a shank portion 6a havingthe usual guide grooves 7a and the tumbler engaging projections 8a form-The handle 10a is of octagonal shape to provide opposed edge portions10b arranged in parallel relation.

The handle 10a is provided with a key ring receiving opening 11aarranged on the longitudinal median line,

and is adapted to receive one of the individual key rings 20a of a keycase; The key case is of the type having a series of detachable ringsprovided with coupling balls 20b which are received in correspondinglyshaped sockets in the key case (not shown).

An irregular entrance slot 14a extends from the open- 7 ing 11a ina'direction oblique to the median line at an acute angle and terminatesat its outer end at one of the parallel edge portions 10b of the handle10a. An entrance slot portion 16a connects a round opening 25 with V thekey ring receiving opening 11a, and .it is to be noted that the entranceslot 16a extends obliquely at an acute angle to the longitudinal medianline in the direction of V the shank" similar to the slotted portions 16and 17 shown in FIGURES 1 and 2. The sharp corner portions 18;; onopposite sides of the slot lfia'form nubs or nodes which project intothe passageway and retard movement of the ring 20a through the irregularslot 14a. These sharp corner portions permit the key to be positioned onthering witha slight amount of force, but prevent the key from beingaccidentally detached and removed during normal personal pocket use.

The keys 5 and 5a are formed from sheet metal blanked to shape inaccordance with conventional practice and the 'tumbleripin' receivingrecesses are cut therein in the 'usual manner, and while the keysshownfor the purpose of illustration are blanked from sheet metal, obviouslythey could be formed by other means.

The key can be used with various types of It is to be pointed out, thatthe detachable key can be used with conventional split keyrings'or acontinuous ring as shown in FIGURE 2 as at 20 in which the reducedportion 21 is omitted and the transverse diameter.

of the ring is uniform throughout the continuous ring. In the individualkey case rings shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the key can be used withstructures of this type which are not split through the ball area, andhence provide a more rigid construction and positive separableconnection between the ring 20a and the key case.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shownand described are to be taken as preferred embodiments thereof, and thatvarious changes in the.

shape, size and configuration can be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination of a key and a key ring having an area of reducedsection, said key consisting of a shank, a handle on one end of saidshank having a key ring receiving slot forming a restricted passagewayfor said key, said passageway defining a zig-zag slot and a series ofnodes and projections extending into said slot which frictionally andyieldingly engage the key ring when the key is assembled on said ring,said area of reduced section being of a size slightly smaller than saidslot to permit attachment and detachment of said key when said reducedsection is brought into registry with said restricted passageway.

2. The combination of a key and a key ring as set forth in claim 1 inwhich said key handle is provided with a central opening with therestricted passageway extending from said opening in a direction normalto said shank.

3. The combination of a key and a key ring as set forth in claim 1in'which said key handle is provided with'a central opening with saidrestricted passageway extending from said opening in a direction,substantially lateral 'to the longitudinal median. of said key. i I

4. The combination of a key and a key ring asset forth in claim 1 inwhich said restricted passageway extends at an acute angle to the shankof said key.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,494,289 5/1924Round 24 23o 1,546,430 7/1925 131m 24-230 FOREIGN PATENTS 304,491 3/1918Germany.

488,575 12/1953 Italy. EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner; P.TEITELBAUM,'Assistant Examiner.

1. THE COMBINATION OF A KEY AND A KEY RING HAVING AN AREA OF REDUCEDSECTION, SAID KEY CONSISTING OF A SHANK, A HANDLE ON ONE END OF SAIDSHANK HAVING A KEY RING RECEIVING SLOT FORMING A RESTRICTED PASSAGEWAYFOR SAID KEY, SAID PASSAGEWAY DEFINING A ZIG-ZAG SLOT AND A SERIES OFNODES AND PROJECTIONS EXTENDING INTO SAID SLOT WHICH FRICTIONALLY ANDYIELDINGLY ENGAGE THE KEY RING WHEN THE KEY IS ASSEMBLED ON SAID RING,SAID AREA OF REDUCED SECTION BEING OF A SIZE SLIGHTLY SMALLER THAN SAIDSLOT TO PERMIT ATTACHMENT AND DETACHMENT OF SAID KEY WHEN SAID REDUCEDSECTION IS BROUGHT INTO REGISTRY WITH SAID RESTRICTED PASSAGEWAY.